1
|
Thorne AH, Malo KN, Wong AJ, Nguyen TT, Cooch N, Reed C, Yan J, Broderick KE, Smith TRF, Masteller EL, Humeau L. Adjuvant Screen Identifies Synthetic DNA-Encoding Flt3L and CD80 Immunotherapeutics as Candidates for Enhancing Anti-tumor T Cell Responses. Front Immunol 2020; 11:327. [PMID: 32161596 PMCID: PMC7052369 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.00327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2019] [Accepted: 02/10/2020] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Overcoming tolerance to tumor-associated antigens remains a hurdle for cancer vaccine-based immunotherapy. A strategy to enhance the anti-tumor immune response is the inclusion of adjuvants to cancer vaccine protocols. In this report, we generated and systematically screened over twenty gene-based molecular adjuvants composed of cytokines, chemokines, and T cell co-stimulators for the ability to increase anti-tumor antigen T cell immunity. We identified several robust adjuvants whose addition to vaccine formulations resulted in enhanced T cell responses targeting the cancer antigens STEAP1 and TERT. We further characterized direct T cell stimulation through CD80-Fc and indirect T cell targeting via the dendritic cell activator Flt3L-Fc. Mechanistically, intramuscular delivery of Flt3L-Fc into mice was associated with a significant increase in infiltration of dendritic cells at the site of administration and trafficking of activated dendritic cells to the draining lymph node. Gene expression analysis of the muscle tissue confirmed a significant up-regulation in genes associated with dendritic cell signaling. Addition of CD80-Fc to STEAP1 vaccine formulation mimicked the engagement provided by DCs and increased T cell responses to STEAP1 by 8-fold, significantly increasing the frequency of antigen-specific cells expressing IFNγ, TNFα, and CD107a for both CD8+ and CD4+ T cells. CD80-Fc enhanced T cell responses to multiple tumor-associated antigens including Survivin and HPV, indicating its potential as a universal adjuvant for cancer vaccines. Together, the results of our study highlight the adjuvanting effect of T cell engagement either directly, CD80-Fc, or indirectly, Flt3L-Fc, for cancer vaccines.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Ashley J. Wong
- Inovio Pharmaceuticals Inc., San Diego, CA, United States
| | | | - Neil Cooch
- Inovio Pharmaceuticals Inc., Plymouth, PA, United States
| | - Charles Reed
- Inovio Pharmaceuticals Inc., Plymouth, PA, United States
| | - Jian Yan
- Inovio Pharmaceuticals Inc., Plymouth, PA, United States
| | | | | | | | - Laurent Humeau
- Inovio Pharmaceuticals Inc., San Diego, CA, United States,*Correspondence: Laurent Humeau
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Luo X, Liao R, Hanley KL, Zhu HH, Malo KN, Hernandez C, Wei X, Varki NM, Alderson N, Chu C, Li S, Fan J, Loomba R, Qiu SJ, Feng GS. Dual Shp2 and Pten Deficiencies Promote Non-alcoholic Steatohepatitis and Genesis of Liver Tumor-Initiating Cells. Cell Rep 2017; 17:2979-2993. [PMID: 27974211 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2016.11.048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2015] [Revised: 10/20/2016] [Accepted: 11/15/2016] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
The complexity of liver tumorigenesis is underscored by the recently observed anti-oncogenic effects of oncoproteins, although the mechanisms are unclear. Shp2/Ptpn11 is a proto-oncogene in hematopoietic cells and antagonizes the effect of tumor suppressor Pten in leukemogenesis. In contrast, we show here cooperative functions of Shp2 and Pten in suppressing hepatocarcinogenesis. Ablating both Shp2 and Pten in hepatocytes induced early-onset non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and promoted genesis of liver tumor-initiating cells likely due to augmented cJun expression/activation and elevated ROS and inflammation in the hepatic microenvironment. Inhibiting cJun partially suppressed NASH-driven liver tumorigenesis without improving NASH. SHP2 and PTEN deficiencies were detected in liver cancer patients with poor prognosis. These data depict a mechanism of hepato-oncogenesis and suggest a potential therapeutic strategy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaolin Luo
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Rui Liao
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China; Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 40016, China
| | - Kaisa L Hanley
- Molecular Biology Section, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Helen He Zhu
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Kirsten N Malo
- Molecular Biology Section, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Carolyn Hernandez
- Department of Medicine, NAFLD Research Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Xufu Wei
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 40016, China
| | - Nissi M Varki
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Nazilla Alderson
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Catherine Chu
- Molecular Biology Section, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Shuangwei Li
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Jia Fan
- Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Rohit Loomba
- Department of Medicine, NAFLD Research Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Shuang-Jian Qiu
- Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Gen-Sheng Feng
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; Molecular Biology Section, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.
| |
Collapse
|